Roll paper dispenser



y 13, 1958 w. s. GRAHAM 2,834,557

ROLL PAPER DISPENSER. Filed March 10, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

y 13, 1958 w. s. GRAHAM 2,834,557

ROLL PAPER DISPENSER Filed March 10, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

United States ROLL PAPER DISPENSER William S. Graham, Berkeley, Calif. Application March 10, 1955, Serial No. 493,343

7 Claims. (01. 242-555 This invention relates to dispensers for rolled paper in strips and particularly to dispensers for spirally rolled paper which is shearable in strips for use in casual, selective unmeasured lengths.

In a shop or in a kitchen or toilet room and in numerous other environments it is frequently desirable to use a selectively large or small strip of paper to wipe the face or fingers or clean or dry utensils or the like. It is the object of this invention to provide a dispenser for such paper in which a strip of paper may slide in a plane from a paper roll to a shearing edge; to provide means for facilitating the manual gripping of the dispensed paper for shearing; to provide a paper dispensing apparatus which adapts the device to either vertical or horizontal use; and to provide in such a device a differential of resistance to the dispensing of the paper strip according to the size and weight of the roll.

In the absence of mechanical means for dispensing the paper, the dispensing operation is manual, and is initially by frictional pressure upon and simultaneously pulling a free edge portion of the paper to an extended position relative to a shearing edge where it may be firmly gripped for further extension and shearing. There is substantially no problem in drawing the paper froma roll after it has been extended and firmly gripped by the fingers, even though the roll be large and relatively heavy, nor is there a substantial problem in extending the paper by manual pressure thereon when the roll becomes small and relatively light in weight, the problem in the latter instance being to prevent a rotative override of the paper roll. A substantial problem is to have a minimum of resistance to rotation when the roll is large and heavy, and an increased resistance to rotation when the roll becomes small from use.

Briefly described, the invention comprises a dispenser adaptable for use in either vertical or horizontal position for dispensing spirally rolled paper in selective lengths and having a base member the upper face plate of which is generally planar and substantially parallel to the back or bottom supporting face of the base upon which the device is supported. The face plate mounts at its rear end portion a pivotally mounted bracket for rotatively holding a roll of spirally rolled paper in a manner to maintain the circumference of the roll in frictional transverse contact with the face plate. The face plate is provided at its opposite or forward end with an overlying guide plate parallelly spaced'to provide a guide slot for a strip of dispensed paper, and having a shearing edge which is spaced from a supporting surface by the thickness of the base at said forward end. The guide plate has a portion of its area open therethrough adjacent the shearing. edge to provide convenient access for pressure by the operators fingers upon a strip of paper between the guide plate and said upper face plate whereby the terminal end portion of the paper may be manually engaged by finger pressure and extended beyond the shearing edge so that it may be more readily gripped for further extension, and the extended portion sheared against the shearing edge. An

2,834,557 Patented May 13, 1958 opening or inset may be provided in the forward end wall of the base underlying the shearing edge to provide a convenient space into which other fingers of the operator (which do not press upon the paper) may be inserted when gripping the dispensed paper. The rotatively mounted roll of paper by its weight against said face plate provides an automatic brake by frictional resistance to rotation against said plate, and preferably means are provided for varying the frictional drag and brakingeffect in accordance with the size of the paper roll.

In order to more clearly describe the invention, longitudinal is referred to as the direction from the shearing edge towards the opposite end and lateral or transverse is perpendicular thereto. In referring to a planar upper face plate substantially parallel to the back or supporting face of the base it is not intended to limit the structure of the invention to a geometrically fiat plane or exactly parallel, but rather to indicate that the face plate does not jut or project out at an angle to a supporting surface, but lies in a generally flat plane in approximation of parallel to such surface and having its dispensing face free of substantial angles around which the dispensed strip of paper must pass, especially when the roll of paper is large and heavy and its frictional resistance to unwinding would be relatively greatest. If the base member is a solid block such as wood, it would manifestly have a physical back face, but if made of stamped sheet metal, the back or supporting face, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is the bottom edge of the base upon which the side walls of the base are supported.

Preferred forms in which the invention may be embodied are described herein and illustrated in the acr of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of another modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of a rear end portion of a base member in section and a fragmentary modified form of bracket arm.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section on line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views, and referring firstly to Figs. 1 and 2, the reference character 10 indicates a supporting base member the upper face of which is a face plate 11 which is substantially planar and is supported substantially parallel to a supporting surface by the back or bottom 12 of the base.

The face plate is a substantially flat plane from a forward shearing-edge end to a central portion upon which a roll of paper rests, so that a strip of paper passing therealong does not pass around constricting or binding angles. The upper face of which is a face plate 11 which is substantially planar and is supported substantially parallel to a supporting surface by the back or bottom face 12 of the base. the face plate 11 is thereby spaced at said forward end from the surface on which the device is supported, such as a vertical wall or horizontal table, such spacing of the face plate at said forward end preferably providing an elevation for an opening 13 of an inset space 16, the forward transverse edge portion of the face plate overlying said opening and space, and providing a pressure plate portion 15 in the plane of the face plate. The

pressure plate portion may be a separate plate or may be an integral part of the said face plate 11, as shown in Fig. l.

The face plate 11 has mounted thereon adjacent its opposite or rearward end a swingable bracket generally indicated 17 preferably mounted transversely of the base by means of its cross bar 13 which is freely pivotally engaged at said rearward end under one or more pivot straps 19, each of the opposite ends of the cross bar having extending perpendicularly therefrom resiliently spn'ngable bracket arms 2t) which because the pivot mounting is adapted to extend forwardly towards said shearing end and which have their free terminal ends turned opposingly inwardly to provide bearing pins 21 for rotatively supporting a roll of spirally wound paper 22 which may be mounted thereon by means of an elongated spindle 23, the opposite ends of which receive, preferably rotatively, the inturned pins 21 of the bracket arms. Such rolls of spirally wound paper are customarily provided with an axial opening and tubular core 25 centrally thereof for receiving the spindle. Since it is preferred that the paper roll may be maintained against wobbling on its axis, the spindle preferably has a conveniently close slidable fit in such a core.

A guide plate 26 is mounted transversely overlying the upper face of the forward pressure plate portion 15 of face plate ll, the guide plate being in a plane parallel therewith in sufficiently vertically spaced relation to provide a transverse planar guide slot opening 24- parallel with the pressure plate portion, for slidably receiving therethrough a strip of the paper 22a which has been drawn from the roll. The slot opening 24 is of a-width transversely of the base plate to substantially align the ends of the slot with the transverse width of the bracket 17 and that portion of the base plate which is contacted by the circumference of the paper roll, so that a strip of paper drawn from the roll may be aligned with and slide through said slot. The opposite lateral ends of the guide slot are closed at the longitudinal edges with relation to the underlying pressure plate portion of the face plate, as at 27.

The forward edge of the guide plate 26 is substantially coterminus with, but inset just a trifle (about hi inch), from the forward edge of the pressure plate portion 15 of face plate 11, and at said forward edge the guide plate is provided with a toothed or serrated shearing edge 28 to facilitate shearing the strip of paper thereagainst, the coterminus forward edge of the pressure plate portion 15 thus serving as a guard against any possible injury to the hand of the operator against the shearing edge. The rear edge portion of the guide plate 26 may be flanged upwardly in a lip 29 to facilitate initially guiding the paper strip 22a to sliding position under the guide plate whenever necessary, such as when a new roll of paper is installed.

Since a previously sheared strip of paper will have terminated at the shearing edge 28, and not be available at the shearing edge for finger grip, the guide plate 26 is provided with one or more openings 30 through its planar portion, the opening being spaced from the shearing edge leaving a strip 26a of the guide plate between the shearing edge and said opening 30, said opening also overlying the pressure plate portion 15 of the face plate 11, whereby an operator may press a finger through the opening upon the strip 220 of the paper which is between the gqride plate 26 and the pressure plate 15, and by slight frictional pressure on the paper against the pressure plate, manually draw the paper forward so that it has an extended free edge portion beyond the shearing edge which may be gripped between the fingers of the operator for further withdrawal of the desired length, and, by a manual upward and sidewise pull, sever it against the shearing edge. The spacing of the pressure plate portion and the shearing edge from the back or supporting face of the base providing space 16 so that other fingers of the operators hand may be conveniently inserted in the opening 13 and space 16 for manually engaging the paper as it is extended from the slot 24 whereby, as the paper is pulled forward free of the guide plate and slot, it is automatically positioned between the operators fingers which are, respectively, above and below the withdrawn portion of the paper strip, as shown in broken lines in Figs. 1 and 7.

Because of the smoothness of a planar face plate and the pivotal mounting of the bracket, there is a minimum of contact resistance of the paper to rotation thereof and an absence of angles around which the dispensed strip of paper must be pulled.

It is preferred however to provide a differential braking means against rotation of the paper roll, in accordance with the size and weight of the paper roll. When the roll is relatively large and heavy its frictional contact with the face plate, even though reduced to a minimum of contact area, still offers a sufficient frictional resistance to the extension of the paper by manual pressure thereof on the pressure plate to cause occasional diiiiculty in manually pulling the paper forward by a mere finger frictional pressure against the paper through the opening 30 in the guide plate, this frictional resistance becoming proportionately less as the roll becomes lighter and smaller from use. Also, for a given length of paper drawn from the roll with the same velocity, there would be more rapid revolutions of the roll when it is small and has less frictional resistance, tending to cause rotative override of the paper, the term resistance being used as synonymous with drag. Wherefore, it is desirable to provide automatically operative control means for a dilferential or braking against rotation of the paper roll at various sizes of the roll, the least proportional braking effect when the roll is large and the greatest proportional braking effect when the roll is small, and preferably an intermediate braking effect when the roll is of intermediate size. That is, the braking means is effective inversely proportional to the size of the paper roll. Any or all of these respective brake controls may be employed singly or collectively, their relative importance and effectiveness depending appreciably on the character and surfacing of the paper employed and whether the device be used at vertical or horizontal position. In this connection it will be noted that the axis of the spindle 23 and the paper roll 22 swing toward the face plate in the arc of the free terminal ends 21 of the bracket arms, so that the center of gravity of the roll moves forwardly on the face plate as the roll becomes smaller, as best illustrated in Fig. 2 However, instead of a frictional brake being desirable when the roll is large and heavy, means may be provided to reduce to a minimum the drag of frictional contact with the face plate, the preferred means being exemplified herein as relatively transversely spaced upraised tracks or rails 35 which are of less collective width than the face plate and extend longitudinally of the upper face of the face plate 11 and said rails being of sufficient length and position to support the paper roll when it is of maximum circumference and weight and the bracket arms are more nearly at the zenith of their arc. When the relatively large roll rides on these rails, the area of frictional contact of the roll with the face plate is reduced to a minimum, so that it rotates more easily in the pulling of the paper therefrom. The upraised rail strips 35 are preferably inclined upwardly from front to rear and fade at their forward ends into the general plane of an intermediate portion 36 of the face plate underlying the axis of the spindle as the arc of the bracket arms moves the spindle forwardly and downwardly progressively as the paper roll becomes smaller in circumference and lighter in weight, whereby the roll of paper rests upon the face plate for its entire width and thus has a greater proportional frictional drag or resistance to rotation. As the roll continues to become smaller the arc of the bracket beams? arms moves the axis of rotation. of the roll farther forwardly until finally, when the paper of the roll approaches its minimum of circumference and rotates relatively more easily and rapidly, it has the least weight and circumference contact with the face plate; wherefore, the face plate may have a transverse integral roughened strip 37 to create a greater frictional resistance; or, as shown in Fig. 3, an alternative means for increasing the frictional resistance may include a transverse arcu ate groove 38 depressed in the face plate at the transverse portion of the plate which will be contacted by the roll when it becomes relatively small in diameter and will ride in such groove, thus increasing the area of contact of the smaller roll with the face plate. The face of the groove 38 may also have a roughened transverse strip 37a for cumulative braking on rotation. When the roll is large and rests on the face plate rearwardly of the groove 38, the dispensed strip of paper 22a will slide parallel with the face plate and hurdle or slide over the groove without entering thereinto.

lt may be noted that one or more small rollers may be substituted for the rails or track strips 35 but the possibility of clogging thereof by small accumulative particles of the paper fiber makes the strips 35 a preferred and more simple means.

Since an object of the invention is to provide a dispenser which may be operated in generally planar form and at either a horizontal or vertical position, the center of gravity of the paper roll and its spindle will be perpendicular to the horizontal position, and parallel to the vertical position of the plane of the face plate. Therefore, the pressure of the paper roll against the face plate, and the consequent braking effect is greater whenthe face plate is at horizontal position. But the paper roll also has considerable lateral pressure against the face plate at a vertical position due to the pivotal mounting 19 of the bracket and the angular incline of the supporting arms 17 relative to the portion of the .face plate which is contacted by the paper roll. The greater this angle is, the greater is such lateral pressure of the paper roll against the face plate when the device is at a vertical position. To increase this lateral pressure of the roll against the face plate, especially when the roll becomes small, and thus increase the braking effect at such vertical position, the pivotal mounting 19 of the cross bar 18' of the bracket may be mounted in a depressed area 40 below the general plane of the portion of the face plate which supports the paper roll, such depressed area being at the rear end portion of the face plate, as shown in Fig. 3. While this structural arrangement probably does not equalize the braking effect at the vertical and horizontal positions, respectively, experience has demonstrated that it is efficient for practical operation, especially when the dilferential brake means is employed as previously described. Depending on theangle of incline of the wall of depressed area 4%, it may be desirable to provide slots 41 in the upper angle 43 of said wall to receive the bracket arms 20 at their lowermost position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Referring to Fig. 6 an alternative to the slots 41 is shown, in which the arms 20 of the bracket may be bent as at 42 to conform to the angle 43 of the face plate and the incline of the wall of the depressed area, in which case the slots 41 may be eliminated.

In Fig. there is disclosed a modification in which the planar face plate 110 is maintained substantially parallel with a supporting surface but is slightly inclined upwardly from its rear end portion toward its forward end and shearing-edge, said forward end and shearing edge being elevated and spaced from a supporting surface by a transverse angled truss member 45 underlying the forward end of the face plate, the angle of which, indicated 12a is the plane of the bottom or back face of the base upon which the deviceis supported upon a supporting surface at said forward end. The forward wall 46 of the angled 'truss.recedes-rcarwardly, from the forward edge of the face plateand shearing edge and provides an inset space underlying the shearing edge for the entire transverse width thereof. However an opening 13a may also be provided in the receding angled wall 46 to further facilitate the manual gripping of the strip of paper extended from the slot 24.

In the modification of Fig. 5 the rear end portion of face plate 11a is supported upon a supporting surface by a transverse plate portion 12b which, due to the in cline of the face plate 11a, is connected thereto at a slight angle, the pivot strap 19 for the bracket being mounted on the plate portion 12b. A modification of structure is also provided in the opening of the guide plate 26, comprising a cut-out portion 30a in said plate, such cut-out opening extending to and including the edge portion 29 of the guide plate, thus providing an extended area for finger pressure upon the paper strip in the manual advancement thereof toward the shearing edge.

' Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and patentable is: I

.1. A dispensing device for spirally rolled paper comprising a base member having a face plate which has at its forward end a pressure plate portion, said face plate having a portion intermediate its ends for supporting thereon the circumference of a roll of paper to be dispensed, the forward portion of the face platebeing spaced from the plane of the back supporting face of the base in a plane which is substantially parallel with said back and supporting face, a transverse guide plate parallelly overlying and spaced vertically from said forward pressure plate portion of the face plate sufficiently to provide a guide slot for slidably receiving therethrough a strip of paper, said guide slot being-in substantially the same plane as the said intermediate portion of the face plate upon which the circumference of the paper roll is supported, a terminal shearing edge at the forward edge of the guide plate, said overlying guide plate having a portion thereof removed providing an open space overlying the area of the pressure plate portion whereby finger pressure may be exerted through said opening simultaneously upon a strip of paper in said guide slot and upon said pressure plate portion, and a bracket mounted pivotally at the opposite rear portion of the base, said bracket having arms for rotatively axially mounting a spiral roll of paper to be dispensed, said arms being adapted to swing arcuately forwardly from the pivot toward the shearing edge and thereby maintain the circumference of the paper roll in rotative frictional contact transversely against said face plate in substantially the same plane as the guide slot, whereby astrip of dispensed paper may slide in a plane from the circumference of the roll through said guide slot to the shearing edge.

2. A paper dispensing device as set forth in claim 1, said base having at its forward end an inset open space underlying the pressure plate portion of the face plate whereby a space is provided under said pressure plate portion for inserting'fingers of an operator thereunder.

3. Apparatus for dispensing strips of paper from a spirally wound roll thereof, as set forth in claim 1, the said face plate having means thereon for varying the frictional resistance to rotation of a paper roll against the face plate.

4. In a paper dispensing device, the elements as set forth in claim 3, the said means for varying the frictional resistance to rotation of a roll of paper against the face plate including means for upraising the paper roll from the face of the face plate and supporting the paper roll at its circumference in an area less than the axial width of the paper roll. T

5. A paper dispensing device of the character described, as set forth in claim 3, the saidmeans for varying the frictional resistance to rotation of a roll of paper against the face plate, including means on the face plate for increasing the friction of rotation of the paper roll against the face plate when the. roll of paper has become reduced in diameter by its use and the pivotally mounted bracket arms havemo ed the axis of the paper roll to a forwardly position.

6. In a dispensing device for spirally rolled paper which includes a planar face plate the forward end of which is spaced from a supporting surface, said face plate having mounted at its. forward end. a guide for a strip of paper and a shearing edge and means whereby the strip of paper may be manually moved through said guide towards said shearing edge, the combination therewith of a bracket means pivotally mounted at the opposite end portion of the base and having extending arms for rotatively mounting a roll of paper to be dispensed, said bracket arms being adapted for swinging on said pivot arcuately forwardly towards the shearing edge and maintaining the circumference of the paper roll against the face plate whereby the axis of the paper roll and the contact with the face plate are progressively moved forwardly toward the shearing edge as the roll becomes smaller from, use, and means, on said face plate for in creasing the frictional resistance to rotation of the paper roll against the face plate when the paper roll is diminished in diameter from its use and has been moved by said bracket arms to a relatively forward position of circumferential contact with the face plate.

7. A paper dispensing device of the character as set forth in claim 6, the means for increasing saidv frictional resistance including a roughened portion of the surface of the face plate in the area thereof upon which the bracket positions the paper roll when the paper roll is diminished in diameter from use.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,173,795 Goldberger et al. Feb. 29, 1916 1,332,194 Arcus Mar. 2, 1920 2,294,670 Krueger Sept. 1, 1942 

